The Russellville School District (RSD) has hired a communications coordinator to get the district’s message out to the public and school district employees.

“This is a new position and it is a position we’re very excited about,” RSD Superintendent Randall Williams said about the hiring of Ashley Snellenberger.

Snellenberger will be responsible for all internal and external communication. External communication will include things such as social media and graphic design work.

“The internal communication would involve employee activities and other activities designed to make a better working environment,” Williams said.

Williams said the district values its employees and they were part of the reason for this position.

“We currently have about 800 employees in our district,” Williams said. “We feel that there are all types of things they need to be aware of.”

Williams said getting information to that many people is a little overwhelming for someone in the district, but the person in the position of communications coordinator will have the time and opportunity to do it.

“The board and the district feels that there’s always a need in this area, especially today with all of the advanced social media,” Williams said. “That’s what drove us to see the potential in this position.”

Snellenberger graduated from Arkansas Tech University in 2008 with a degree in journalism, with an emphasis in public relations. She worked for St. Vincent Morrilton and for the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute before coming to her current position in Russellville.

“I’ve always wanted to work for a school district,” Snellenberger said. “It’s something that I have a passion for. My husband is a teacher in the school district so we both have that passion for education. It was a great fit for me to get this position.”

Snellenberger said she would be in contact with all of the media outlets in Russellville in order to establish a working relationship.

This contact with media will help inform the community about things that are happening with the district.

“The educational excellence that we have here at this school district is amazing,” Snellenberger said. “We’ve got some really fascinating things happening at this district. My job is to make sure that the community knows about the projects and other things going on.”